Note: Asimov's originally had this as a novelette, but my word count and, less importantly, the Nebula Awards classify it is a short story.
Mariska is a typical bitchy, angsty teenager. Her Mom/clone went off to explore space and left Mariska to be raised by a hired father and an AI bedroom. This is the story of her rebelling against every aspect of her life being decided for her: career, boyfriend, and now being taken away from her home before she is ready.
The setting is interesting, and Kelly captures the teenage girl perfectly. But the warm, parent-friendly ending seems off for the still-predestined spacer destiny. And I obviously read the climax as a much darker, more dangerous thing that the author did, given the ending. Not bad, not Nebula worthy.
3 heroic fossils out of 5.
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